The Truth
by Cress070
Summary: During a Cognate training session, Sophie has to tell Fitz her big secret: She likes him. This is obviously a Sophitz story, so if you are team Foster-Keefe, you may not like it. This is an alternate version of book four/five/six... etc.
1. Truth

The Truth: A Sophitz Story

Chapter I

"Should we start?" Fitz said, jolting Sophie out of thought. They were in Sophie's bedroom at the headquarters of the Black Swan. Mr. Forkle had assigned them three different secrets to tell each other as part of their Cognate training. To become Cognates, they had to have complete trust in each other, and so that meant no secrets.

Sophie found this nerve-racking because of her one big secret: That she liked Fitz. So during these secret sharing sessions, she always found herself searching for smaller, less embarrassing secrets.

"Yep, I'm ready," Sophie replied, and she opened her mind to Fitz's thoughts. She found his emotional center and left part of her consciousness there, feeling Fitz sweep his thoughts into her mind.

" _You first?"_ He transmitted.

" _Um… sure?_ " Sophie replied. She thought she knew where he was going with this, and she didn't like it.

" _Good, because there is that one secret that you still have to tell me,_ " He said, smiling.

Sophie's skin felt clammy and cold. There would be no Keefe butting in to save her this time. Oh, God. She was panicking

" _Y-yes. I'm ready. Okay. Here we go. Fitz. I- That is, I'm- I-_ "

" _Sophie, relax,_ " Fitz said, sending her calming thoughts. " _Fitz, I'm just afraid if I tell you this you'll hate me or think I'm, I don't know…_ " She transmitted, panicky.

" _Sophie. Nothing you could ever say would make me hate you. Please, just tell me. Would it help if we did it on the count of three?"_

' _Yes, okay. Fitz, please promise me you won't hate me?"_ She asked, desperate.

" _Sophie, of course I promise. Just tell the truth and it will be fine. Just the simple truth. Let's do this now."_ Sophie could feel dread seeping into the pit of her stomach.

" _One… Two… Three_!"

" _The truth is… well… FitzIlikeyou_!" Sophie blurted out. " _As more than a friend, that is,_ " She added softly, hearing her thoughts echoing through his suddenly silent mind and terrified of his reaction.

She could tell in his emotional centre that he was feeling shocked and surprised, but was that… happiness? And hope?

"Sophie, thank you for telling me this. But… well…"

Sophie stared up at him, fearing what he was about to say.

"I have to go," He blurted, and dashed from the room.

Sophie was left sitting alone on her bed. She flopped backwards and stared at the flowers twining along the canopy as her eyes welled up with tears and then ran over. She didn't know what to do. Was it good shocked or bad shock, what he had been feeling back there, and would he tell Keefe? Sophie wasn't sure if she could endure the teasing Keefe would lay on her and Fitz. Well, maybe not. He had never _really_ laughed when he called them Sophitz. She sighed, and closing her eyes, dozed off with her dreams filled with worries.

Needless to say, dinner was awful. The food was good-purple leaves tasting like chicken and yellow tubers that were a strange yet delicious cross between bananas and blueberries- But the atmosphere hanging over the table was suffocating.

Keefe, who had spent the past two days in his room, only coming out for meals, ate his dinner as fast as possible before heading upstairs.

Fitz, whom every time she looked up from her plate was staring at her, would blush and look away as Sophie turned beet red.

And poor Biana was caught up in the middle. She was staring between Sophie and Fitz, a quizzical and worried expression on her face.

Sophie couldn't take holding in what had happened that afternoon between her and Fitz. On her way upstairs, she brushed past Biana and whispered "Come up to my room when you're done, okay?"

She rushed back up the stairs, accidentally knocking over a shrub sitting in a pot on the landing. She righted it, blushing deeply as she saw Fitz, staring, slip into his room.

She threw open the door to her room to find Biana, already there, sitting on her bed.

"Biana? How did you get up here? I didn't see you."

"I'm a Vanisher, Sophie. But that's not the point." Nervously, Biana tucked a lock of her dark hair behind one ear.

"Oh right. I wanted to talk, and um… nope, that's it." Sophie said awkwardly.

"Oh, okay," Biana replied. "But…" she added as an apparent afterthought, " My price is a makeover!" Biana smiled. "Please?"

"Ugh. Fine,' Sophie replied, disgruntled

"Yay!" Biana squealed, and she rushed away, yelling something about getting the stuff. She returned within moments, panting and clutching compacts, brushes, and bottles in her overflowing arms. She dumped everything on the bed and then turned to Sophie.

"So. What kind of a look are we going for here? Casual, glitzy…. Formal?" She added hopefully.

Sophie sighed. "Formal it is."

Biana clapped her delicate hands together. "Oh, yay! And I have the perfect dress you can borrow. It's red." She rushed off to get it, laying it over the side of Sophie's bed.

"Turn around," She ordered. "I'm going to do your hair now."

Sophie reluctantly turned, and winced as Biana started tugging her hair into what she assumed was an up-do.

"So," Biana said. "What did you want to talk about before?" She asked carefully.

"Boys." Sophie responded, smiling at the overjoyed gasp that escaped Biana's lips.

"You never want to talk about boys! What happened? Do you like someone?"

"Well…" Sophie replied, "Yes. I like Fitz."

Biana was silent.

"I know that he's your brother, and that would be weird, but I like him. Sorry, um…"

"Sophie, I'm not mad, but you're right, it's strange. Well, I don't care if he's my brother. You belong together!" Biana said, making Sophie smile. "You really think so?" She replied. "Well, I like him but I don't know if he likes me. Not anymore that is- Ow!" Sophie yelped, as with a particularly painful tug Biana announced her up-do finished.

"Anyway, as I was saying, I'm not sure if he likes me at all anymore, because during our Cognate training… I had to tell him that I liked him."

"Oh, Sophie!" Biana said, as she maneuvered around to Sophie's front with several compacts and started attacking her face. "That must have been so hard! What was his reaction?"

"I-I don't know. He ran out of the room after I told him," Sophie said miserably.

"WHAT?!" Biana yelled. "Remind me to punch him later! Oh, and drink this and this and this. For your skin. I'm done, by the way. Here's your dress." Biana handed it to her. It was full length, with a skirt that flared out when she twirled. A v-neck and floaty quarter-length sleeves completed the look, and the whole dress shimmed when she moved. Sophie slipped it over her head, feeling the smooth fabric settle on her body like water, and did a small twirl. "Oh, Sophie!" Biana gasped. "You look amazing!" Sophie blushed. "Really? Thanks. Oh, I don't have a mirror in here, can I use yours?"

"Of course!" Biana said, and they walked out together.

Sophie and Biana were about two steps out of her room when Biana halted them. "I haven't given myself a makeover!" She said in shock. "And we have to be together when we see ourselves! Give me a minute," And she rushed back indoors. Sophie was about to follow, when she saw something move. She turned around and there was Fitz, staring at her in awe. "Hey, Biana?" She called. "I'll be just a minute."

'That's fine," She heard the reply. "This could take awhile."

Sophie turned back to face Fitz. 'Um, hi, Sophie," He whispered. "You look… beautiful." She blushed a deep cherry red that might have matched her dress.

"Sophie, could I, um, talk to you out here?" Fitz asked, gesturing to a door that opened into a large rooftop garden, where silvery moonlight filtered through trees full of white blossoms.

"Of course," Sophie replied. Fitz opened the door and motioned her through. As they walked towards a large tree in the center, he began talking.

"First, Sophie, I would like to apologize for how I acted when you told me… well, you know. I was just so shocked, but I know that's no excuse. So I'm really very sorry about that.

"Fitz, that's fine," Sophie said. "I would have been just as shocked if you had told me the same thing." They had reached the tree now, and soft heart-shaped petals rained down upon them like snow. Fitz turned to face her, grabbing a hold of both her hands and twining his fingers in hers.

"No Sophie, it's not fine especially since I want to tell you now… Sophie, I feel the same way." Sophie's heart fluttered. She felt like she was floating. 'Fitz? That's the truth?"

"Yes, Sophie," he said softly, leaning down so close she could see the full moon in his shimmering teal eyes.

"The truth." He murmured, and then he closed the distance between them and his lips were on hers and they were every bit as soft and gentle as she had thought they would be. When they finally broke apart, they stood gazing into each other's eyes for what seemed like it should have been forever, but was really only a moment. Then, holding hands, they started back towards the house.


	2. Theif

**Thank you to Obsidian11Rose for being the first to comment on this story! :)**

The next morning when Sophie woke up, she lay under her covers and stretched luxuriously. Everything seemed brighter and more hopeful now that Fitz knew she liked him… and he liked her back! It felt so good not to be holding in her secret anymore.

Smiling, she stood up, stretched, and walked over to her closet. She dressed, and then padded downstairs for breakfast.

Sadly, Fitz wasn't there yet. Sophie looked down at her bowl of teal glop, reminded of Fitz's sparkling eyes…

Bam! Crash! Thump! Keefe clattered down the stairs. He plopped into the seat nearest to Sophie, and started wolfing down his food.

"Um… hi, Keefe," Sophie said. "How are you doing?"

Keefe looked up, cheeks stuffed with food. "Wll, ah hv sim eeds daw," He said. Sophie sighed.

"Keefe, swallow. I can't understand a word you're saying." He swallowed exaggeratedly.

"Well, I have some ideas down.. Actually, a lot of ideas."

"Written down?" Sophie asked. "If I search your memories, I could project them into my memory log. You might notice some little details that you missed."

Keefe looked nervous. "Well, okay. Let's just go up to my room."

They ascended the stairs, Keefe seemed agitated, which was making Sophie nervous. Keefe opened the door of a room on the left, and he let out a gasp of shock. Sophie gave a little squeak, and pushed around him to see what he was looking at. She was expecting blood, or vandalism. Instead, she found a perfectly ordinary room, if it was a bit messy. She glanced over at Keefe, who was staring at all of the nothing like he had seen.. well, something.

"Sophie!" he spluttered, "I think that we've been robbed! Had had paper- all over the walls- here-and here-" Then horrified realization dawned on both of them. Why would someone take Keefe's scribbles, unless they were looking for weird information about them? And the only elves Sophie could think of who would want that kind of information were… the Neverseen. Sophie dashed towards her room. She could only think what priceless information the Neverseen could find in there! Flinging open the door, Sophie screamed in terror. Pillows had been torn, drawers pulled out, and crystal broken. And whoever had done it was currently escaping out the window! Sophie's scream had drawn the thief's attention. He turned towards the sound of her voice, revealing both the white eye armband that identified him as one of the Neverseen, and his face.. He was the Pisonipath that she, Biana, and Calla had faced down at Brackendale!

Before Sophie could do anything, he flung his arm towards the doorway, blocking the entrance with sizzling white energy and destroying any hope that Sophie had of escape.

Sophie let all of her hatred of her attacker grow into a humming mass in her mind, and she shoved it towards him with all of the force she could muster. As her black hate swarmed towards him, the man screamed, convulsing on the floor. With him momentarily disabled, Sophie rushed towards the doorway. In her joy that the forcefield had dissipated, she didn't notice her attacker stand up shakily behind her. She leapt towards the exit- when in midair she found it blocked with the white-hot energy again. There was nothing she could do. Smashing into the deadly barrier, her world became pain. Slicing, burning pain. Sophie screamed, thrashing, and her movement moved her away from the field. She lay there, shaking on the ground as she glorified in the relief.

But then she felt herself shoved against it, again and again, restrained by arms as cold and ungentle as steel. Her world was nothing but white pain, and as she begged for it to halt, she felt herself being dropped. She seemed to fall down, down, down forever, until everything faded to black.

 **Sorry for the cliff hanger. Well, I'm not that sorry. Bwa ha ha!**


	3. Healed

**Thank you to everybody who commented! And sorry the last chapter was so short, I tried to make this one longer.**

"Sophie? Sophie? Please wake up." a voice begged.

She was wrapped in a warm grey cocoon. Everything was soft. She was safe. She didn't want to come back. But a beautiful voice was calling her away from the comfort. She tried to shove the words penetrating the safety of her world away, but the kept coming back.

"Sophie? Please…"

And then she remembered. That was Fitz, and she was Sophie. She pulled herself out of her cotton candy world, wincing in pain as bright sunlight seared her corneas. Everything was fuzzy and blurred at first, but it gradually sharpened until she could clearly make out her surroundings. She was in the healing center at Foxfire, with it's large windows streaming in sunlight, Elwin's office, the horrible picture of her in the Foxfire opening ceremonies, dancing in her mammoth suit, and the best part, Fitz. Sitting by her bedside, with his teal eyes full of concern.

"Fitz?" she said weakly. "What happened?" She tried to sit up, but it hurt too much to move.

"Well, when you hit the force field, you almost died. And then you were lying there on the floor, shaking. When the guy shoved you against the field again, you were so close to death, one more impact would have killed you. But Biana threw her monocle at it, and it shattered the field. He dropped you, and then escaped out the window. That was when I leaped you here, to Elwin." Fitz drew a shuddering breath, shaking at the memory.

"But the guy who escaped," Sophie pressed. "Did he take anything?"

Fitz looked away. "He took Councillor Kenric's cache."

Sophie gasped. That was the worst thing that he could have possibly taken. Each Councillor was given a cache, full of secrets called The Forgotten Secrets. These secrets were either too powerful or too dangerous to be known by anyone, even the Councillors themselves. And in the hands of the rebels, Sophie could only imagine what the secrets could do. She shuddered.

'Well, I should probably get going," Fitz said. "Elwin told me that I could only stay here until you woke up."

"You sat with me the whole time?" Sophie asked, flattered, and just noticing the dark circles under his eyes.

"Yep!" Fitz looked proud. "And now that I'm leaving, I'll visit every day." He leaned in close. Very, very close. "When, you're better, I have something to tell you," he whispered, and then kissed her. It was a little kiss, hardly a kiss at all, but it was as good as fifty others. Sophie's heart fluttered, her lips still tingling from the memory as Fitz walked out the door.

"Well, Sophie," Elwin said, emerging from his office. "I see that you've managed to do it again. What is this… near-death-experience number three or four?" he smiled.

"Anyways, you should be better in a week or so, but your cells took some serious damage," he handed her three different elixirs, and all of them smelled gross.

"Drink up," he told her. "And then sleep. What you really need right now is rest."

Elwin left, and Sophie was alone. But there was no way that she would be able to sleep. The Neverseen had stolen the cache, and they now knew where the Black Swan's hideout was. Her mind felt like is was on a playlist of her two least favorite songs, looping over and over again. It wasn't until the sun went down, bathing the room in a rosy light that Sophie closed her eyes and sank into a tortured sleep.

Fitz was in her room, kissing her, but then he turned into pure white energy, and shocked her over and over. Then he shattered like glass, and all of her secrets spilled out onto the floor. Sophie awoke in the middle of the night, panting and clutching her sweaty sheets. She got out of bed, and walked over to the large windows. She sat there, staring at the moon, and that was how Elwin found her in the morning, passed out on the floor.

The next few days passed in a blur. She slept, drank her elixirs, and Fitz, true to his word, visited every day. Eventually, Elwin deemed her good enough to go home to Havenfield, and Sophie did so gladly. Fitz still visited, and Elwin came by to check up on her. And finally, after weeks spent in bed and in her room, she was fully healed. That day, Fitz came by again.

"Hi, Fitz!" Sophie said as she greeted him at the door. "Come in!"

"Actually, I was hoping that you would come out with me." Fitz replied. "I wanted to take you out. I have something I want to talk to you about."

"Oh. Sure, I guess," Sophie said, and slipped outside, closing the door behind her. They walked together through the pastures, just talking and laughing, until they came to the cliff. They sat down next to each other, watching the sun go down. As is cast its last precious tendrils of liquid light over the horizon, Fitz turned to Sophie.

"How old are you?" he asked. Sophie blinked. Twice. She had been expecting him to tell her that he loved her, or that he had found some important information about the rebels.

"Um, well, I was thirteen until I learned my inception date, and then I was fourteen but I turned fifteen and… hey, I turned sixteen when I was still recovering!" Fitz, who had previously looked tense, visibly relaxed. "Oh. Oh, good," he said. "Sophie, I'm- I'm going to register for Matchmaking. I was waiting before, but I didn't know why. But now I know.. I was waiting for you. You are the only person I can imagine having a future with."

Sophie's heart fluttered. "Oh, Fitz. I feel the exact same way about you. But I'm not registered for Matchmaking, or whatever you have to do to get a scroll."

Fitz laughed. "Oh, that's fine," he said. "Actually, Biana was the one who really spurred this on. I think that she's been secretly plotting out our Matchmaking for years. She has this all planned. We were thinking of going tomorrow, unless you have other plans…"

"Nope, I'm good to go. And Fitz…" she added, "When I see my scroll, I- I hope that you are on it."

And this time, _she_ kissed him, and he kissed her back. Sophie wished they could stay like that forever, but eventually they broke apart.


	4. Preparations

As Sophie lay in bed that night, Edaline came up to check on her.

"Hey, Sophie," she said. "You were out there with Fitz for awhile, what happened?"

Sophie smiled. She knew that Edaline would be overjoyed to hear this news.

"I'm going to register for Matchmaking tomorrow wi-" she was cut off by Edaline's overjoyed gasp. "Oh, Sophie! That's wonderful! Who will you be going with?"

"Well, I was about to say, but then you cut me off." she said. "I'll be going with Biana, Fitz Keefe, and Dex."

Edaline was beside herself with motherly joy. "That's the best news I've had all, year, including that Silveny is pregnant! When? Oh, right, you said tomorrow. Well then, make sure that you get plenty of rest tonight, and I will wake you up bright and early to get ready! Have a good sleep," Edaline kissed Sophie's forehead. "Love you, mom." Edaline paused in the doorway. "I love you too," she said, switching off the light.

Sophie smiled, closed her eyes, and fell into a peaceful sleep.

The next morning, she awoke to a blast of sunlight full in the face

"Rise and shine!" Edaline sang. Sophie groaned and rolled over, shoving a pillow over her head. "Edaline, wha time izit?" she mumbled into her facefull of pillow.

"Five am!" Edaline announced, taking away both Sophie's pillow and her soft, warm duvet. When Sophie still lay there, Edaline left. Sophie heard water running, and she saw Edaline come back with a glass of water. She held it over Sophie's face threateningly.

Sophie gasped. "You wouldn't dare," she said accusingly. Edaline smiled. "Try me," she said, dribbling a bit on Sophie's face. Sophie gasped as the cold water trickled down her neck. "I'm up! I'm up!" she yelled, jumping out of bed.

Edaline smiled. "Good, Now get dressed. And you might want to ask Vertina for some advice on you hair and makeup."

"Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine," Sophie groaned. She walked over to her closet and surveyed her options for dresses. There were quite a few red ones, some pink, and a variety of other colours. But Sophie eventually settled on a pale green one that fell down to her knees, with a low back and a swishy skirt. She walked over to Vertina, and the beautiful spectral mirror surveyed her outfit.

"Hmmmm. Not bad," she said. "You will want to take my advice on your hair and makeup, I assume?" Sophie did, and so Vertina walked her through the steps of a braided bun and a gold, shimmery, smoky eye. When she was finished, Sophie took a good, long look at herself. Vertina did too.

"Ugh!" Vertina said in disgust. "Sophie, you would be perfect, but those vials around you neck totally ruin the look," she said with a toss of her perfect dark hair. 'Couldn't you skip them just this once?"

"Ummm… yes. Why not." Sophie replied, removing them and laying the cords on her dresser.

"And if there's nothing else, Vertina, am I acceptable?" she asked.

Vertina gave her another harsh sweep with her eyes. "Well, yes. You are good to go." Sophie smiled. "Thank you." she said and, left the room.

When she came downstairs, Edaline gasped.

"Oh, Sophie," she said. "You look beautiful! Fitz, Biana and Keefe just arrived, they're waiting at the Leapmaster." Sophie smiled and walked back up the stairs. Actually, to say "walked" is quite a stretch. Vertina had forced her to wear these very, very, _very_ high heels, and so her walk was more of a hobble.

"Sophie! You look great!" Biana called, as she finished her long, hard climb.

"Thanks, it took Vertina all morning to get me like this," Sophie said.

" _I think you look beautiful_." Fitz's mental voice filled her head. Sophie smiled and blushed.

" _And you do too_ ," she replied, and It was true. Fitz was wearing a fitted white dress shirt with black pants, and while it was simple, it was also very attractive.

Keefe looked accusingly between Sophie and Fitz. "Flirting again?' He said with a dramatic sigh

"Foster, Foster. You need better taste."

Sophie was about to retaliate when Biana said, "So… were we actually planning to get our scrolls anytime soon?" No reply. Biana rolled her eyes. "Why am I the only one who realizes how exciting this is? Matchmaker's office!"

Biana called out. A large crystal rotated until it caught the sun, casting a beam of shimmering light onto the floor. And together, they stepped in, letting the light carry them away.


	5. Matchmakers

**I would like to send out a huge thank you to everyone who has commented/followed/favorited. You make my day!**

They glittered into a long road, lined with shops. Sophie looked around. This was Mysterium.

"Biana?" she asked, "This is Mysterium, not Eternalia… why are we here?"

"Oh, well, because we're members of the Black Swan, and we have been cut off from the Elven world for awhile, and not to mention that the Neverseen are still out here, so we need disguises and I figured the best place to go would be Slurps and Burps to get some elixirs to alter our appearances." Biana said.

"Oh." Actually, that made a lot of sense. Sophie felt a bit stupid as they walked into the colourful building, causing the door to belch loudly.

"Hey, guys!" Dex called. "I'm just in the back room, I'll be out in a second!"

He emerged with an armful of different bottles that Sophie assumed were the elixirs that he would be used to alter their appearances. He laid them out on the counter, and they all scrambled for the best ones. Sophie got "Miss Carrot-Head" "Ice Woman" and "Moon Pale"

"Now," Dex warned them. "These will all taste really bad, and the transformation might feel... painful. Just a heads up."

"Wow, Dex," Keefe said. "Now I want to drink these even more!" He sniffed one, and grimaced.

Sophie decided that she wanted to get this over with. She pulled out the corks, and drank them as fast as she could, trying not to taste. Thirty seconds later, a tingle ran over her body. Suddenly, her scalp was on fire, so hot that is felt like she was melting. The burning spread to her eyes, and then all over her body. She whimpered, biting her lip, trying not to cry out. But just as soon as it had started, it stopped.

Fitz, Keefe, Dex and Biana were all staring at her in shock.

"What?" Sophie asked nervously. "Did the elixir not work, or something? I'm not bald, right?"

"No!" Dex said, "You just look… so different! The mirror is around the corner. Just over there."

Sophie glanced around, and saw the mirror in the aisle to her right.

She walked over to it, hearing her friend's shrieks of pain and excitement as they took the elixirs. She looked into the mirror and saw… well, she had been expecting to see herself with different hair and eyes, but a stranger stared back at her. She had hair that was like flames, with shades of orange and red falling down to her waist. Her eyes were an icy blue, and her skin was pale, but not so pale she looked zombie-like, as there was still a flush to her cheeks. She was beautiful, and her green dress set off her red hair, making is even more vibrant.

'Wow," she whispered, trailing her fingers over the glass, and the stranger in the mirror did the same.

"Sophie! Move over, it's my turn!" Biana said, (or she assumed it was Biana, because she was a girl.) Biana had dark blue eyes, black hair, and a nice tan.

"Woah," Biana said, looking at herself in the mirror. "I look so different!"

Keefe, Dex, and Fitz came over, and they all reacted in the same way. Eventually, Biana got impatient with fighting over the mirror, and they leaped away to Eternalia, where the Matchmakers office was.

The building glittered with crystal and silver, and the door had a heart-shaped handle.

Sophie pulled it open, her stomach a knot of nerves.

As soon as they entered, a woman rushed up to them.

"Hello!" she said. "Welcome to the Matchmaker's Office! Over here, dear," she added in an undertone. "I'll be your interviewer, and don't worry, I'll send someone for each of your friends."

Sophie followed her through pristine hallways, as underwater light filtered through skylights all over the ceiling. They walked through a small doorway into a room furnished with a two desks, (one larger than the other) an armchair, and a stunning tapestry showing an alicorn flying through a sky full of stars in all of the colours of the spectrum.

"Sit down here, and we can start with just a few questions. Then I can give you your packet and you can answer the questions.."

Sophie sat down in the big armchair. She was trying not to yank her eyelids completely bald.

"Lick," her interviewer said, handing Sophie a black cube with a silver strip. She gave it a tiny lick, and two rotating strands of DNA flashed out of the top with her name in green.

"Sophie Foster," her interviewer said.

"I'm Evanilina, nice to meet you. Well, let's jump right in then. Abilities?"

"Um… Inflictor, Telepath, Polyglot, and Teleporter," Sophie said, as Evanilina scribbled all that down on a scroll.

"Good, and what would you say is the most challenging part of your abilities?" she asked, and the interview went along like that. Eventually, Sophie got her packet of about one million questions, and she filled them out at the small desk. Overall, her interview took about three hours from start to finish, and when she came out only Keefe was waiting for her.

When he saw her, he stood up.

"Hey, Foster!" he said. "What took you so long? Biana and Fitz went home, and Dex left ages ago."

Sophie shrugged. "I don't know. Actually, there were several questions regarding my ability, and because I have four…"

"Yeah, I guess so," Keefe said as they walked out.

"Foster… so who are you hoping will be on your scroll, huh? Huh? Huh?"

He elbowed her suggestively.

Suddenly, a tingle ran through Sophie's body. Keefe gasped in shock, stepping back, but then he laughed.

"Woah, Foster. I think your elixir just ran out. You look back to normal now! But anyways…"

"A handsome boy with tousled blonde hair?" Keefe said, gesturing to himself.

Sophie blushed and rolled her eyes.

"Wooooo hoooooo hooooo, Foster. Those are some interesting emotions." Keefe wiggled his eyebrows. "Is that a yes?"

Sophie raised her home crystal to the light, casting a shimmering path on the ground.

"I have to go, Keefe," she said, and glittered away.

As soon as she arrived at Havenfield, Sophie collapsed. Raising a shaking hand, she saw how pale it was… and she knew is wasn't the elixir. She grasped for her vial of fade fuel, and then realized it wasn't there. She had left it with Vertina when she was getting her makeover!

"Grady? Edaline!" she called weakly, but knew it was useless. The pastures were on the far side of the house. Sophie felt the light calling her, brushing with its bright feathers.

 **Sorry for another cliff hanger... But I figured some people would like an update and this is what I have so far.**

 _(Also I like to make you squirm)_


	6. Saved

Desperate, she sent out a telepathic call.

" _Grady? Edaline? Fitz!_ " She transmitted, and almost instantly she felt Fitz open his mind to hers.

" _Sophie? Where are you? Are you okay?_ " he asked.

" _Fitz, I'm at Havenfield, but Grady and Edaline aren't there or they can't hear me… I'm fading again and I don't have my cure."_ She felt his mind flash back to the time when he had found her and Dex after they had been captured…

" _Sophie, just hold on,_ " he said. " _I'm coming."_ Sophie sank to the ground, trying to keep a hold of reality. She could practically hear the light calling her to come, to fly around forever, and she wanted so, so much to listen. Then, Fitz glittered into sight. He rushed over and bent down, holding her hand.

"Sophie! What should I do?" he asked, and Sophie could see the terror in his eyes. She knew that he could remember all too well the last time that had had found her, faded and almost dead.

"Get my… fade fuel. By Vertina… " Sophie said weakly. Fitz dashed off towards the house, but Sophie knew that she would be gone by the time he got back. She wished that she were a Conjurer…

Then, Sophie thought of something that she hadn't before. She might actually be a Conjurer, because Mr. Forkle had given her many abilities, and she was sure that there were some that he hadn't unlocked.

She decided it was worth a shot. She focused all of her enhanced concentration on her vials, knowing exactly where they were.

Sophie snapped her fingers the way she had seen Edaline do it, and imagined the vials pulled through the void. With a loud pop, they appeared. Sophie clutched her head against a splitting headache she assumed was from conjuring the vials.

She wanted to jump for joy at succeeding, but instead she grabbed the fade fuel. She squirted it in her face, and breathed in, feeling stronger with every deep breath.

Sophie stood up shakily, and walked into her house.

"Fitz?" she called. He was probably panicking, because having conjured up the vials, they weren't on her dresser anymore. She walked up to her room, and found Fitz tearing open her closet. Drawers had been pulled open, and Vertina had turned herself on even though Fitz was out of range and was yelling at him.

"Fitz?" Sophie asked cautiously. Vertina stopped yelling. Fitz turned around, and on his face was a look of desperation and fear, fear that after all they they had been through together, Sophie would fade away, and be gone. Upon seeing her, he looked confused and then happy. He ran up to her and hugged her so tight she could barely breathe.

"Sophie! How are you alive? The vials- I couldn't find them… I thought you would die," he said.

Sophie smiled. "Well, surprise! I'm a Conjurer now!"

Fitz's mouth fell open. "But how? Usually you would need training and things before you could make something appear on command..."

Sophie shrugged. "I'm guessing adrenaline rush, because I just found out. Let me try again…" She snapped her fingers, thinking of Ella who was sitting on her bed by the pillow. Nothing happened, except her headache grew stronger. Sophie swayed, feeling tired and woozy.

Fitz caught her before she could collapse again.

"Are you feeling alright?" he asked. "We should take you to Elwin and let him give you a check-up."

Sophie nodded, and she half walked, half was carried to the Leapmaster. They were just about to step into the light when Fitz stopped them. "Sorry, Sophie," he said. "You can't light leap right now. I'll hail Elwin and he can come here."

Fitz did, and soon Elwin glittered into view in front of them. He took one look at her, and sent her straight to her room and into bed.

He gave her about fifty different elixirs (they all tasted bad) and the left, taking Fitz with him because "NO, YOU MAY NOT STAY! LEAPING WITHOUT FADE FUEL- OR A NEXUS- WHAT WAS SHE THINKING, GIVEN HER HISTORY! SOPHIE! STAY IN BED!"


	7. Taken

Sophie's recovery was a lot faster than her previous one, when she had lived in her bed for a month. But this time, she was up in a week.

When Sophie came downstairs, she found Edaline making breakfast.

"Sophie!" she said. "Feeling better? Sit down, we need to talk."

Edaline snapped her fingers, transporting the plate of whatever she had been making into the table. Sophie pulled up a chair, as Edaline sat down next to her.

"So, Sophie," Edaline said. "Foxfire will be starting day after tomorrow, and the Council has decided to let you attend this year. But because you're a Conjurer now, we will need to replace one of your sessions with an ability one. Lady Appier will be your mentor, and I think you should drop the Universe."

Sophie nodded. "Yeah, probably. I mean, I have memorized all of the stars," Sophie said, smiling. Edaline smiled back.

"Yes, the talents the Black Swan gave you have come in handy, haven't they."

Edaline sobered. "But that's what I wanted to talk to you about. The Black Swan. I just don't know if… you should continue doing this. Every day and night when you were living with them… I didn't ever know if you would come back. And when you did, you were half dead."

Sophie felt guilty. She hadn't thought about what this would be like for Grady and Edaline. Especially after what had happened to Jolie…

"I'm sorry," Sophie said quietly. "I promise I will try to be safe."

She looked up into Edaline's eyes, searching them for understanding. "Thank you, Sophie." Edaline eventually replied. Sophie smiled. "Well then, I'm going to go to Everglen today, and see Fitz… and Biana," she added hastily, noticing Edaline's raised eyebrow.

"Sure, Sophie," Edaline said, and Sophie dashed back upstairs to the Leapmaster.

"Everglen!" she called out, causing a crystal to rotate. Sophie checked that she had her fade fuel, and stepped into the light.

As soon as she arrived, Biana pounced on her.

"I call Sophie!" She yelled towards the house where Keefe and - her heart fluttered - Fitz, were walking towards them

"You had Sophie last time!" he called. "It's my turn!" Sophie looked around in confusion.

"Um, Biana?" she asked. "What's going on?"

Biana laughed "Oh, sorry. We're playing Basequest. Please be on my team?" she smiled, showing all her teeth. Sophie smiled back.

"Sure."

Fitz groaned. "But whoever gets Sophie always wins. Can we play no special abilities?"

"No!" Biana said. "My ability is perfect for Basequest."

"C'mon, Fitz!" Sophie said.

" _Just let her have it her way._ " she transmitted

"Sure, Biana." Fitz said. Sophie smiled at him. "But you quest first."

Sophie rolled her eyes.

"Our base is that tree over there," Fitz said, pointing to one with pink leaves shaped like stars.

"Three! Two! One! Go!" They dashed off in different directions.

Sophie and Biana ran towards Fitz and Keefe's base, channeling energy into their legs,when Keefe suddenly leaped out from behind a bush and tagged Biana.

"Sophie! Run!" Biana said, tackling Keefe to the ground to keep him from following Sophie. They scuffled playfully as Sophie ran away. She was almost within sight of Fitz's base when she heard a yell up on the hill where his designated tree was. She broke into the clearing, just in time to see Fitz, being carried away by elves in black cloaks with the familiar symbol of a white eye: The Neverseen.

Sophie ran towards him, desperate to stop them from hurting Fitz. As she drew nearer, Fitz's beautiful teal eyes widened.

" _Sophie!_ " he transmitted.

" _Don't come any closer. They'll kill you._ "

She stopped at the crest of the hill, tears streaming down her face.

" _Fitz, I can't just let them take you! Please…_ "

Fitz sent her soothing thoughts as one of the Neverseen raised a blue pathfinder to the light.

" _Sophie, I promise I'll come back. I will come back for you, because Sophie, I love you._ "

She sank to the ground, hugging herself as Fitz glittered away with his kidnappers. But she believed him. And if he couldn't come back for her, then she _would_ go and find him.


	8. Scrolls

Sophie stood up. Even though all she wanted right now was to go get Fitz, she knew that she had to tell Biana and Keefe. She wiped her eyes, and shakily walked down to where she had seen them last.

"Keefe? Biana?" Her voice wobbled. She didn't want to have to tell them this.

Biana and Keefe ran out of the bushes, smiling and laughing. They both paused in shock upon seeing Sophie's tear-streaked face.

Biana rushed over to her. "Sophie? What happened?" she asked softly.

Sophie buried her face in Biana's tunic. "Fitz has been taken by the Neverseen."

Her voice cracked, and she felt a tear tracing its way down her cheek. Biana gasped, and she started crying too. Keefe stood on the sidelines, head bowed. He was crying too, but doing it silently. Eventually, Sophie couldn't stand not doing anything anymore.

"We have to go to Alluveterre and tell the Black Swan," she said hoarsely.

Biana nodded and stood up silently. Keefe just stood there. Sophie touched his shoulder gently, and he flinched and looked up into her eyes. He looked so sad, so broken, that Sophie flung her arms around him and hugged him. She wanted her hug to hold him together, so that all of his sadness and guilt wouldn't break him.

Keefe was tense and rigid at first, but then he wrapped his arms around her and returned the hug. She felt his tears leak onto her shirt.

"Hey," she said, pulling away. "We'll find him. I promise."

Keefe nodded, and Sophie held her home crystal to the light, leaping away to Havenfield.

They arrived in the pastures, and walked into the house. But before they got anywhere near to Sophie's room, Sandor jumped out of a doorframe and stopped them.

"Sophie!" he said in his high, squeaky voice. "Where do you think you're going?"

Sophie choked back another sob. "Alluveterre," she said. "Fitz...has been taken."

Sandor's flat grey face turned greyer.

"I'm coming with you," he said firmly. Sophie nodded. There were times when she appreciated having a large grey shadow, and this was one of them. They continued up the stairs to Sophie's room, where she grabbed her imparter from off her desk.

"Show me Mr. Forkle," she whispered urgently. The five seconds it took for him to answer felt like ages. Sophie explained with as little detail as possible that Fitz had been kidnapped by the Neverseen. She didn't want to think about it any more then she had to.

"I'll be right over," he told her, and moments later she saw him shimmer into view from the window. They all went down to the living room to greet him.

"We have to rescue Fitz." Sophie said as soon as Mr. Forkle sat down. He nodded.

"I agree, even though you have no plan and no location to storm." He said.

"And as well as being your very close friend, Fitz knows some very valuable information. We can't let the Neverseen have him much longer."

Just then, Edaline practically ran in from outside, waving scrolls that were patterned with intricate designs of hearts.

"Sophie!" She shouted. "Your Matchmaking scrolls came!" She was rushing over to hand it to her when she noticed Sophie's tear-lined face and sitting on the sofa. She leaned back.

"Oh, no." she whispered. "What happened?"

"Fitz has been kidnapped by the Neverseen." Sophie said in a choked whisper.

Edaline gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.

"Oh, Sophie," she said, sitting down beside her with the scroll in her lap. "Oh, love." Edaline put an arm around Sophie and rested her head on top of hers.

"Would you like to open your scroll?" she asked quietly. "As a distraction right now?"

Sophie looked up at Edaline. She could tell that her adoptive mother was very worried and sad about Fitz, but she could also see that Edaline really wanted to know who she was meant to love. Edaline was right, though. The scroll would be good right now.

Sophie shrugged and picked it up. It felt heavy, and it was printed on the smoothest, thickest paper that Sophie had ever seen. Biana came to sit beside Sophie as well. Sophie knew that she had been the most excited about getting the scrolls. Nervously, with shaking hands, Sophie broke the ornate wax seal. She unrolled the stiff paper, and read her list. When she saw the list, a her heart broke and was made whole at the same time. There, printed in neat black script, was her number one.

Fitzroy Avery Vacker.


	9. Leaving

Sophie turned her head away and buried it in Edaline's shoulder. This was too much. She had loved Fitz as long as she had known him, and now when she knew he was right for her, he was gone. Sophie looked up at Mr. Forkle. "We have to go save Fitz," she said. He nodded, and held up a crystal to the light.

"This will take us to Alluveterre. I want you to try to locate Fitz telepathically."

Sophie nodded, and she, Mr. Forkle, Biana, and Keefe all stepped into the path.

They arrived outside the entrance to the tree house, and went up to the common area where Sophie and Fitz had usually trained. Sophie sat down on the leafy sofa and closed her eyes. She could feel Keefe and Biana watching her, which was making her nervous.

Tuning them out, she stretched her mind out as far as it could go, searching for the thoughts of Fitz or even the rebels to give her a clue as to where he was.

" _Fitz_?" She transmitted over and over until finally she heard a reply.

" _Sophie_?"

She gasped, because it was a familiar accented voice. Fitz was alive.

" _Where are you?_ " she asked desperately.

" _I'm at the Neverseen hideout where you were kidnapped,_ " he said. " _Mr. Forkle will know where it is."_

Sophie nodded. " _We'll come as soon as we can. Are you okay? They didn't… hurt you, did they?"_

That was her worst fear. That Fitz would go through the same thing that happened to her. Tied helpless to a chair, being burnt when asked questions she didn't know the answers too… Sophie shook off the memories.

" _Not yet,"_ Fitz transmitted, " _but I could hear them talking…"_

She could see in his mind what he meant. " _Fitz, we're coming,_ " she said, and broke the connection.

Sophie turned to Mr. Forkle. "Fitz is in the Neverseen hideout where you found me," she said. Mr. Forkle nodded.

"I'll gather some dwarves and alert the rest of the Collective," he said. "But for now, Sophie, I'm afraid all you can do is wait."

He walked away, pulling out his imparter. Sophie sat in silence with Biana and Keefe. She caught snippets of conversation from Mr. Forkle, who was retelling the story of Fitz's capture. Soon, he came back in followed by Blur and Wraith.

"Squall and Granite are busy," he said motioning for Sophie, Biana, and Keefe to come with him. They walked out of the common area to the entrance of Alluveterre. Sophie's stomach squirmed with fear and worry. Keefe stepped back. "Foster, stop worrying. You'll make me hurl." He attempted to smile, but failed miserably. Sophie reached for his hand. It was shaking. She gave it a squeeze, and then they all stepped into the path of blue light Mr. Forkle had created with his pathfinder.


	10. Jolie

**I'm sorry how long it's taking me to update... I'm having writers block. :(**

They appeared in the streets of Paris. All around them on the cobblestone road were humans, going about their days. They attracted a few strange looks from passers-by because of the cape issue, but mostly they were fairly unnoticed. Mr. Forkle ushered them into an alleyway, and they wove through narrow streets until they came to a tall building. They stopped behind it, and Mr. Forkle turned to them.

"Here's the plan", he said. "Biana and Wraith will go down here-" he pointed to a manhole cover "-and scout around. Myself, Sophie, and Keefe will wait up here until they come back and give the all- clear. Then we all go in." He handed Biana and Wraith Melders. Biana stared at hers in fear and tried to hand it back. Mr. Forkle refused to take it. "Biana, it's just in case," he said, and pried open the manhole cover. Wraith descended into the blackness, motioning for Biana to follow. She did, with some reluctance, and Sophie and the others waited alone in the rainy and desolate streets. Within time, Biana and Wraith reappeared out of the manhole. "All clear," Wraith's hollow voice said from beneath his silvery cloak. Sophie started down the ladder, Mr Forkle following.

They reached the bottom, and found themselves in an old tunnel, with rocks and debris, and… a skull? Sophie decided not to look. She trudged through the dark tunnels, following the weak light of Mr. Forkle's balefire pendant. Footsteps echoed off the walls, making it sound like they were an army instead of a group of five elves.

Mr. Forkle led them through the tunnels, making seemingly random lefts and rights until they came to what looked like a dead end. "Did we go the wrong way?" Sophie whispered. In the dark silence, it sounded like she had yelled. Sophie flinched as she heard her scared voice echoing off the tunnel walls. _Wrong way? Wrong?_

Mr. Forkle shook his head. "This took me ages to find. It's the back entrance to the Neverseen hideout. Watch."

He shoved his arm at the wall. To Sophie's surprise, it slid right through. Mr. Forkle half-smiled at her confused expression.

"They had a Fluctuator alter the density of the stones." He turned to Biana and Wraith. "I'll need you to scout ahead again. This time, you need to look for Fitz. If he's anywhere, he's here."

Wraith's silver cloak swished and vanished through the stones. Biana turned to Sophie, and she gave her a reassuring nod as she vanished and stepped through the wall. She and Mr. Forkle waited in silence, until he spoke. "As long as we're here, I might as well tell you the plan," he said. "If Biana and Wraith find Fitz, and assuming nobody's there, we all go in. If not… we need to create a distraction." He pulled an Obscurer out of his pocket. "While we do that, Biana and Wraith will get Fitz out of here. They can use this on him."

Sophie nodded. "What will we use as a distraction?"

Mr. Forkle sighed. " I really don't like it, but it's the only thing that I think will get all of the Neverseen away from Fitz. We use you." Sophie nodded, but Keefe protested.

"No! Use me. It's too dangerous for Sophie…" She cut him off with a glare. She would do anything to save Fitz. "What do I say?"

"That you have come to negotiate. About the Black Swan and the Neverseen uniting."

Sophie gasped. "Please tell me you're joking."

Mr. Forkle sighed, running his fingers through his hair.

"Those emotions are not very reassuring," Keefe said, touching Mr. Forkle's arm.

"You kids," Mr. Forkle grumbled. "Well, this is partially a ruse. But if they agree, and they seem honest, then we might actually-"

He was cut off by Sophie and Keefe's shouts of "What?!"

"Shhhhh!" He said, glaring at them. "These tunnels aren't soundproof, you know." He sighed. "I don't like it, but… we are both fighting for change. If we unite, then we have so much more chance."

Just then, Biana and Wraith stepped back through the wall.

"It's crawling with them," Wraith said, his far-away voice laced with disgust. "They're everywhere, and Fintan himself is guarding Fitz."

Mr. Forkle sighed, and filled them in on his plan. When everyone understood their roles, he motioned Sophie through the wall.

She stepped through, shaking with nerves. As she entered the stark white hallway, she saw Neverseen members everywhere, all with long black hooded cloaks hiding their faces. They all saw her, and leapt into action. One jumped towards her, knocking her to the ground with a painful elbow to the chest. Sophie curled into a ball, trying to protect herself as much as possible. Ordinarily, she would have let loose with the knot of emotions in her chest, but because this was mostly a diplomatic mission, she held back. Eventually, all of the black cloaked figures stopped trying to restrain her. One of them stepped forwards. In a surprisingly soft and sweet voice, she spoke "Why have you come?"

Sophie cleared her hoarse throat. "I want to unite the Neverseen and the Black Swan," she said, proud of her voice for not shaking. The voice of the Neverseen member who had spoken sounded familiar, but Sophie couldn't place it. Her cloak swished as she whispered something in the ear of one of the people standing next to her, and they rushed away. "Why would you want this?" the woman asked. Sophie swallowed. "Well, um… I think that… if we… united we could… work together to… make an impact on our world!" She finished in a rush, not sure if her words would have the impact that she desired. But they did. The woman nodded, and motioned for Sophie to follow her. Their footsteps echoing around the stark white corridors made it sound like they had a whole army of vanishers in tow. They reached a single door at the end of a long hallway, and the woman turned to Sophie. In her strange melodic voice she spoke. "Fintan is right in there. You can talk to him about your proposition." She laughed, and then Sophie realized who she was. "But be careful, he can get a bit-" Sophie cut her off. "Who are you?" she demanded. The woman stepped back. "I can't tell you that," she said, almost sadly. Suddenly, Sophie stepped forwards, yanking off her dark hood. Even though she knew who would be underneath it, she still gasped. "Jolie?"


	11. Goodbye

Jolie yanked the hood back over her horrified face, but too late. "Fintan's in there," she said in a choked whisper, and then ran back down the hall, leaving a stream of frantic questions without answer in her wake.

Sophie drew a shuddering breath. She could only imagine what this would be like for Grady and Edaline… actually, she couldn't. The only thing she could do now was what she came for. Distract Fintan.

Holding her head high, she pushed the door open. Fintan was sitting in a metal chair at a metal desk. He turned to look at her, and she could see menace in his eyes. He wasn't going to let her go until he got some answers. Sophie swallowed.

At that small noise, Fintan sprang with catlike grace from his chair. As he lunged towards Sophie, he flicked his wrist, slamming the door shut.

"The Moonlark," he said in a cold voice. "Fancy meeting you here." Fintan ignited fire in his hand, pinning her against the cold hard wall, also made of metal. He waved the fire under her chin.

"Why have you come here?" He hissed angrily, moving the fire closer.

"I want- to talk about- uniting for a common cause," Sophie choked out. Fintan turned away, his cape swishing dramatically behind him. Sophie sank to the floor, rubbing her throat. Then, remembering that she was the Moonlark, she summoned up her strength and bravery up and stood.

"It makes sense," she said, her voice stronger now. "We are both campaigning for change. If we work together, we have more strength, more resources."

Fintan turned to face her. "How do I know you're not lying?" he said. "How do I know that the second we uncloak and reveal our true identities, that you're not going to turn us all in?"

"You don't," Sophie said. "But we won't."

"Well, what would we work for?" Fintan asked, and Sophie's mind hit a wall.

"Well- The, um- What do you want changed?" she asked.

Fintan chuckled, an ominous noise. "Well, to start, I want the life that has been taken away from me. Do you know what it was like," he said, "having to pretend I was talentless? I went from riches to rags. Councillor to working class."

Sophie resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "You brought that all down on yourself by your craving for power! None of this would have happened if you hadn't tried to ignite the Everblaze, so stop whining." Sophie was feeling brave and reckless.

Fintan practically snarled at her, but Sophie could see sadness in his eyes.

"We can fix your problem," she said. "Make Pyrokinesis legal again, and have it taught in the schools." Fintan scowled. "That won't help," he said bitterly.

"Yes it will-" Sophie started, but was interrupted by someone running in through the door. Jolie again. But Jolie completely disregarded Sophie as she frantically addressed Fintan.

"Sir, we have intruders! They're everywhere! Call for backup!"

Fintan lunged for Sophie. "You knew about this?" he asked, rancid breath blowing in her face as he panted in anger. His hands on her arms burned, and she screamed in pain. Drawing all of her fear and anger out of the pit of her stomach, she shoved it at Fintan, and with a pang of guilt, Jolie.

Sophie burst the door open, running down the hallway. When she came to a fork in the passageway, she stretched out her mind, listening for Fitz, or Mr. Forkle, or Keefe. But instead, she heard Edaline's thoughts. Grady and Edaline were here! Then reality struck her. Jolie. Grady. Edaline. They had gone so long, thinking that Jolie was lost. What would happen to them now? And would they… This was the worst thought of all. Would they still want Sophie?

She sucked a deep breath, and followed the thoughts. Left. Left. Straight. Then she came to a door. Behind it she could hear banging and screaming. Taking a deep breath, and readying her inflicting, Sophie ran in to find total chaos. Fitz's cage had been broken, and he was free. Somebody had set the room ablaze, and it was also raining. Lightning crackled, and the earth was shaking. Quite frankly, it was a battle of the elements. When she entered the room, everyone stared at her, and then everything shifted. Then Neverseen started trying to get her instead of Fitz, and the Black Swan all rushed in front of her. As the battle resumed, Sophie scanned the scene. Several dwarves were down, and looked hurt. And then she saw Fitz, and started crying. He had burn marks all over his arms, in the shape of thumbprints. He was slumped against a wall, and Sophie ran over to him. She took his beautiful face in her hands, and his eyelids fluttered, then opened.

"Sophie?" he rasped. Her tears were falling onto his face, mixing with blood from a split lip. He tried to stand, but Sophie stopped him with a kiss.

It was the worst time and place for a kiss, but it felt so good to feel Fitz, feel his life and love for her.

She pulled away, and his mouth was bloody from hers. She smiled through tears of joy and tried to wipe it off, then realized it didn't matter.

Sophie rallied her strength, and lifted Fitz right off the ground with telekinesis. She was floating him towards the door when it slammed open. Jolie ran inside with Fintan.

"Stop!" Fintan shouted, drawing attention an halting the battle. He ignited a sphere of Everblaze, grabbing Jolie and holding the Everblaze under her chin. She struggled, screaming in pain from the heat as the fire blazed over her body. Grady and Edaline ran over to her, and Edaline shoved fintan aside, snapping her fingers and conjuring him who knows where as her tears of loss and love began to quench the Everblaze. Grady clung to both Edaline and Jolie, and then Edaline started to sing.

"Sing swan, Spring swan..." her voice was so sad, so broken as she sang her daughter to her grave for the second time in her life.

"Follow the pretty bird..." Edaline's beautiful voice cracked as Jolie took one last shuddering breath.

"I love you." Jolie whispered, and then her chest fell still and Edaline and Grady clung to each other, tears flowing like a waterfall.

It was like a knife in Sophie's back to see this heartbroken scene. But her mission was not yet complete. Supporting Fitz with both telekinesis and her own strength, she let her photographic memory lead them to the exit and through the tunnels. Sophie collapsed, exhausted and stressed, underneath the ladder with the warm sunlight falling down on her as tears streamed down her face, shuddering with sobs. Her last memory was of Fitz wrapping his scarred arms around her as she lost everything and sank into blackness.


	12. Happily Ever After

**YAY! Final chapter! This is so exciting for me!**

 **I just wanted to send out a GINORMOUS thank you to everyone who has read my story. And especially to those who commented/followed/favorited! Every time I see a review it just makes me so happy, and to see myself in the "Favorite authors" list on profiles is amazing! Thank you for being so awesome and supportive of everyone! LONG LIVE THE KOTLC COMMUNITY!**

" _Sophie_?" a timid voice asked. It was familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. Something seemed off about the voice though. She couldn't hear it, but she was listening to it. Then in struck her. Someone was inside her head, and that someone wasn't Fitz.

" _Who are you?_ " she asked it. " _And what happened?_ "

" _I'm Marella,_ " the voice- no, Marella, said. " _And I'm here to save you. To bring you back._ "

" _What happened?_ " Sophie asked. " _Is everybody okay_?" Through a haze of twisted memories, she could see Marella squirm in discomfort.

" _Yes…"_ she said slowly, " _Except for… you._ "

" _What happened?_ " Sophie asked again, more frantic now.

" _You were lost,_ " Marella said simply. " _But I'm here to bring you back. Follow me._ " Marella started to waft away, leaving a golden rope in her path. Sophie followed it, climbing up out of her soft grey world, up and under and through until she opened her eyes.

"I'm back," she whispered to the faces of her loved ones. Grady and Edaline were there, and so were Fitz, Biana, Dex, Marella, Keefe, Mr. Forkle, Alden, Della, and Elwin. They all let out cries of joy and fell on her, until she choked out that they were suffocating her, and they sat back down in their respective chairs.

"What happened?" she said, coughing. Her throat was desert dry, and Elwin rushed over with a bottle of Youth. She drank, and could have kept drinking forever, but Elwin took the bottle away before she was halfway through.

"It's like I told you before, not too much. Your stomach has been empty for a few days now."

"Days?" Sophie was shocked. She looked around at the faces surrounding her, and noticed the dark circles under all of their eyes, akin to bruises.

Mr. Forkle was the first to speak.

"Maybe I should show you what happened," he said, reaching for her temples. She closed her eyes, and her mind flooded with the memories. Mr. Forkle, half carrying a sobbing Edaline down the tunnel while Grady staggered along behind her. Her and Fitz, lying together on the hard ground. Mr. Forkle telling Alden that she was lost. Marella, shaking in a chair as Mr. Forkle triggered her Telepathy, and doing something else that Sophie assumed would make her mind impenetrable.

Sophie wrenched her mind free.

"So you're all okay?" she asked. They nodded, though Grady and Edaline didn't seem alright. Edaline's dark circles were the dark side of the moon, and Grady… Sophie couldn't even look at Grady.

"Can I leave?" she asked, standing. A dull wave of pain rushed through her head, but she was fine. Elwin nodded.

"But no running or base quest or doing anything fancy with your telepathy or…" he went on and on and on. Biana sighed.

"Can Sophie come over?" she asked Grady and Edaline. " I want to open our Matchmakers Scrolls."

Grady and Edaline nodded, but Sophie wasn't sure.

"Will out be okay?" she asked. Edaline smiled, a sad smile but also a strong one. That gave Sophie the reassurance she needed.

"I need my scr-" Biana cut her off, waving it in the air.

"Way ahead of you there," she said.

"Great. Well, let's go then," Sophie said, and she, Biana, Keefe, Fitz, and Dex walked away.

They arrived in front of the glowing gates of Everglen, and instead of going inside, Biana directed them to a tree that resembled a willow but with shining golden leaves that rustled almost like a song. The willow leaned over a pond, and it was a scene straight out of a fairytale.

They all sat down with their scrolls. Biana was so excited, Sophie could almost see her vibrating.

"Haven't you opened your scroll already?" Sophie asked her. Biana shook her head.

"I just had to wait for you guys so that we could all do it together," she said. "Okay, open in three- two- one!" They all broke the ornate wax seals, and unrolled their scrolls. Sophie already knew Fitz was her number one, but that was as far as she had read.

Fitz Vacker, Joson Dormeir, Keefe Sencen, Hastin Cydar, Wylie Endal, Jensi Babblos, Valin Yecc, Senmil Grest, and Heffe Heks.

Her top ten. Sophie smiled, partly in amusement and partly in happiness. She glanced up at Fitz, to find him looking at her. He blushed, and so did Sophie.

Keefe was staring at his list in horror, and so was Dex. Biana was smiling and twirling a lock of dark hair around one finger hypnotically.

"Who did you get?" she asked excitedly. 'Let's all read out our top ten! Okay okay okay me first!" she sang.

Sophie smiled. She knew Biana had been excited about the scrolls her whole life. It was nice to see someone happy today. Sophie was still super stressed about Jolie. To lose a daughter, find her, and then have her slip from your grasp once again? The pain would be unimaginable. She shook herself back to reality.

"Yeah, Biana, that sounds good," Sophie said, plastering a smile across her face.

"Great!" Biana said. "Keefe first-"

"Why me?" Keefe protested. "Make Wonderboy do it, he always gets the girls."

Fitz opened his mouth to protest, but Biana clamped her hand over his lips, effectively stopping him from saying anything.

"Keefe, why don't you start," she said sweetly, with a smile that looked slightly like a snarl. His eyes widened in mock terror.

"Whatever you say, your Supremeness." He began to read.

"Iva Cydar, she's nice," he reddened and continued. "I know her from school. Biana Vacker, um..." Keefe smiled at Biana.

She flushed a delicate shade of pink, and sat up straighter.

"Linh Song, don't know her, Marella Redek, Glorie Sames, don't know her Kitti Remses, don't know her, Iggah Pall, hate her, Tia Cis, seen her around a few times, Nutcha Armer, okay, Sophie Foster, and… Stina Heks! Why on earth would the Matchmakers put us together?" Keefe was appalled.

Dex attempted to smirk. "You and Stina! A match made in heaven!" he sang, and Sophie laughed. His smile increased by tenfold.

"So who will you pick?" Biana asked nervously, her teal eyes locked onto Keefe's icy blue ones. He shrugged. "Well..." he said cautiously, "You"

Biana fainted. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she fell into Sophie, knocking her into Fitz like a game of dominoes. Sophie blushed and righted herself, laying Biana down on the emerald grass.

"Well…" she said. "Maybe I should wake her up?" Sophie poked her, and Biana groaned to life. She flushed. "Um. Keefe, I- I don't know what to say…" Biana trailed off.

He gave her his trademark smirk, and she smiled timidly, looking down. "Well, Biana, you could tell me yes. You could tell me…" he looked embarrassed. "That you like, or um, love me too, and we can, um, get married?" he phrased it like a question. Biana squealed, and flung herself into his arms, knocking him backwards.

"Um… yes?" he said. She nodded, climbing off him, abashed. She was about to go sit back down with Sophie when Keefe put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her in closer to him. She sat down beside him, so close their legs were touching, and leaned her head on his shoulder.

Sophie felt a pang of jealousy, but had eyes for Fitz alone. Besides, Biana and Keefe would make a great couple.

"Who did you get?" she asked him. He gave her a crooked half-smile, and began to read.

"Sophie Foster…" he cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Maruca Blaine, ugh, Iva Cydar, Celine Cydar, they must be sisters, Linh Song, Evian Porscha, Chorde Heks? I got a Heks?" he shook his head and moved on.

"Chara Lotte, Marella Redek, and Jamea Ellis."

They looked at each other, neither of them wanting to say anything, until Fitz spoke.

"Sophie, in Cognate training when you told me… You liked me," he whispered.

"Would it be, um, okay if we, um… would you…" he struggled with words.

Sophie felt like she was floating. "Would I…" she helped nervously.

"Marry me?" FItz said in a rush.

Sophie smiled, tears coming to her eyes. "Yes." She managed to choke out through a wall of emotion. "Yes!"

She stood up and walked over to Fitz, and sat down beside him. He wrapped an arm around her and kissed her forehead.

"Dex? Your turn." Biana said. He shook his head. "I already know who I have in mind…" he said, reddening.

"Oooh!" Biana squealed. "Who?"

"Well, I got Iva on my list too…" Dex said, "And she's always been really nice to me. She's funny and smart, and has really nice hair. So I think Iva, that is, if she'll take me."

He shrugged. "Maybe not. But I have a hundred others, so I have a hundred chances."

Sophie gave him a sad smile. It must be hard, standing alone while they were all matched up neatly. She admired Dex for staying strong.

"I should get back to Havenfield," Sophie said, standing. She fished in her pockets for her home crystal, and pulled it out, holding it up to the sun. She took one last look at Biana and Keefe, and Dex, and Fitz. They were all smiling, and something about everything felt so right. In that one moment, she knew everything was going to be fine.

"Love you guys," she whispered, and the light whisked her away. Sophie Foster had her happily ever after.


End file.
